No Going Back Now: Part 2: Time Heals All Wounds
by Erik'sDarkRose
Summary: The sequal to The Black Corset. Yes I finally wrote it!
1. Chapter 1

**HI ALL! I have finally started my sequel. "No Going Back Now: Part 2: Time Heals All Wounds". This is the story of Erik's life _after _the death of Christine. It has a lot more of Susan Kay's book in it this time. Since I just finished reading it. I recommend it VERY much. This chap is Erik's POV.**

So many times I have wanted to end it all…. so many times I have just wanted to take my dagger and kill myself. But as I look at the small child on the floor, I fear I cannot bring myself to do it. A wise man once told me "Murder and suicide are both equal crimes in the eyes of God, Erik. Only, the man that commits suicide never has any time to repent for it. If you do not remember anything else I have taught you, remember this."

Valerie has asked me so many times "How did Mama die?" And I cannot tell her, for she would not understand. How could she understand that stress caused her die? It does not seem like a very normal way to go. I just have to keep telling her "It was her time to go, but she is up in heaven now, and she is very happy." This seems to calm her for a while.

One day we went out to go to the store. It was then that I truly realized how much impact this ordeal had had on Valerie. She saw a few children following their mother and began to cry, much like Christine had been when she lost her child.

I just don't know how I am going to get by…Christine was everything to me…and she's gone…

I suppose I shall just have to wait and see, for time heals all wounds.

**This Chapter was supposed to be very short, in case you were wondering. It's just the beginning.**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2! Yay! I am very sorry for the long wait, I have recently been having a lot of relationship problems which have interfered with my writing. I am ever so sorry. Hope you enjoy.**

I have thought of moving back to France. Valerie is nine now and I think that she needs to go back to see her homeland. I need to pay Madam Giry a visit as well.

The pain is already starting to wear off, not much; just ever so slowly it is going away. I still cannot seem to forgive myself for being partially responsible for her death. How could I be so stupid? She was already under enough stress and I had to go and cut my face even more? What was I bloody thinking? What good does cutting solve? I had always known that Christine was fragile; I knew it right from the very beginning. I knew that she was prone to heart disease; I suppose I just refused to believe it. I cannot deny it anymore, she is gone.

"Papa? Are we going out? You said we were." Valerie asked me.

"Yes dear, we are going out soon. We are going out to get you fitted for new clothes. Your old ones are getting a little too tight."

I saw her face light up in happiness. Her smile is the only thing that keeps me going.

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"Papa! I want this one! Oh pretty please!" Valerie begged, hanging onto a purple dress with white lace trim.

I smiled to her. "Of course Valerie. Let us see if it fits you."

I called the manager. "Excuse me, my daughter would like this dress, may she try it on?"

The manager looked at my mask and then to Valerie's face. I had gotten used to this, my dear Christine had helped me. The lady nodded.

"Thank you Madam."

Little Valerie trotted away, following the woman to the back where she could try on her dress. A few minutes later she came back with a smile on her face.

"It fits perfectly Papa!"

I smiled, "Of course, I knew it would. Now let's go pay for it."

I paid for the dress and we left the shop. As we walked down the street Valerie spotted another family walking happily together and she looked up to the sky. I knew exactly why also, she was thinking about her mother. I quickly tried to take her mind off it by changing the subject.

"Would you like some lunch Valerie?"

"Oh yes Papa I would love it!"

I led her to a small café a little ways down the road, a café that Christine and me had come to many times…

We sat at a booth and ordered sandwiches and tea for lunch. When we finished we began on our way home, Valerie humming a happy little song all the way. I'm glad at least _she _is happy.

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I walked up the stairs later on in the evening to say goodnight to Valerie. I was about to open her door when I heard her singing. The song sounded so familiar, but I couldn't quite tell where I heard it before. Then suddenly it came to me:

"_Damn it Christine! Just do it!" I yelled at her during one of the fights we had had. Over what? I could not recall. But we had been screaming at each other for awhile, and Christine was close to tears._

"_What has happened, Erik? You are not being the kind sweet man that I remember! You're turning back into a, a corpse! A cold heartless corpse!"_

_I stopped yelling as her words processed in my mind. "Yes," I began, "I am a corpse! A dead corpse! Just keep reminding me why don't you! You didn't seem to have a problem with me being one when you married me!"_

_Tears ran down Christine's face as she mouthed "I'm sorry."_

_I began to sing to her "If I touch a burning candle I can feel the pain…If you cut me with a knife it's still the same. Yes I know that you are breathing and I know that I am dead…but it seems that I still have a tear to shed…"_

This was precisely the song that Valerie was now singing. How she heard it I have no idea, for I thought her to be asleep during that time. But that is not the point I am trying to make, I am trying to say that her voice was so supremely beautiful, more beautiful than I had ever remembered it being.

I then realized something, after her mother's death, she had been singing more, and every time she did it was lovelier than the first. Maybe it is now the time, to pass on my musical knowledge to her. I have no doubt that she will one day conquer all she meets with her voice…just as Christine did.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

"Valerie come here a minute. I want to teach you something."

"Yes Papa?" She asked and walked over to where I sat at my piano.

"I have recently noticed that you have been getting extremely good at singing, I have heard you."

She smiled. "I have been practicing."

"I can tell." I smiled back to her. "Would you like me to give you lessons? I began to start tutoring your mother when she was about your age."

"Oh yes Papa! I would love to be able to sing as well as Mama did."

"Then come here and sit down and I shall teach you what I know. Now do not be disappointed if you do not learn right away, it took your mother several years."

"All right Papa, I just want to learn!"

I watched her eager face looking up at mine. She was so much like Christine in her eagerness to learn. If I had had any doubt before that she would not make an excellent singer, it was now completely washed away.

I began to teach her the basics. "Now sing these notes." I told her and I played a scale on the piano.

She sang them back perfectly.

"Very good. Now let's try something more difficult." I had her some of the warm-ups I used to have Christine sing before I gave her her lesson. Valerie seemed to have no trouble with them at all.

I looked down at her, she almost looked, disappointed. I knew this look all too well. Christine would give it to me whenever I would give her a piece of music that was well below her skill level. I remember once…

"_Oh really Erik. This is insulting! A five-year old could sing this!"_

"_My dear Christine I highly doubt that. Now will you just sing it anyway?"_

"_No. It's insulting to me."_

"_Fine. We will do something more difficult." I said arrogantly, searching to find the most difficult piece of music I could. Having no thought in my mind that she could _actually _perform it._

I handed her the music. She looked at it for a few minutes and then smiled. "That's more like it."

_I began to play the intro. To my surprise, Christine hit every note correctly and was able to follow the complicated dynamics and tempo of the song. I stared at her. She merely laughed._

"_Maybe next time you will think higher of me."_

I smiled at the memory of this. Indeed, I had never given her a piece of music beyond her skill level ever again.

"Papa?" A voice asked.

I snapped back into reality. I looked down at Valerie. She looked at me worriedly. I then realized that I had been staring at nothing for the past minute or so, living in my daydream.

"I'm sorry Valerie. I will have to continue this lesson with you later." I said softly.

She nodded and hopped off the piano bench, going out into the main room and getting back to work on a drawing she was making.

I stood up and walked up the stairs into my room. I lied down on the bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking of past memories of Christine. Then, I wept. I wept for Valerie, for myself, but mostly, for Christine.

"Christine…" I muttered to myself. "My angel…how I miss you."

Then, something happened. Whether it was real or not, I cannot say. But I could have sworn that in that moment in my grief I saw the figure of my Christine standing by the bedside. She smiled to me and said softly.

"Do not cry for me any longer. I am happy where I am. Wherever you are, if you keep me in your heart, I shall always be with you."

I reached out to touch her hand, but as soon as I did, she vanished and I was left alone in the room once again.


End file.
